Eleven members of the Greek Olympic Weightlifting Team tested positive for three banned substances. These have been identified as methyltrienolone (an anabolic steroid), buprenorphine (an opioid antagonist), and an anti-estrogen compound. There has been some speculation as to why, if the Greek athletes intentionally doped, would they use an opioid drug commonly used to overcome heroin and oxycodone addiction?
The managing editor of HellenicAthletes.com suspects that buprenorphine was used to counteract the highly addictive effects of the anabolic steroid methyltrienolone.
The second substance is reported to be an opiate, used to purge the body of the drug-addiction tendencies of methyltrienolone.
Professor Demetrios Kouretas of the University of Thessaly believes buprenorphine was used to counteract the extreme aggressiveness caused by methyltrienolone.
The biochemistry professor suggests that the combination of substances was designed to “improve the athlete’s psychological disposition because the anabolic steroid triggers extreme aggressiveness”.
Arizona could soon be the first state in the country to forbid the use of illegal anabolic steroids in their police officers.
The introduction to the article caught me by surprise. After all, the illegal use of anabolic steroids is already a felony under federal law therefore illegal in ALL states (police officers included). The non-medical use of anabolic steroids is already prohibited by federal law and most state laws; most police departments around the country have explicit policies forbidding illegal steroid use by its officers as well. So, how could Arizona be the first state to ban illegal steroid use by police officers?
After reading the article carefully, it appears the new rules really don’t do anything to further enforce existing rules banning the illegal use of anabolic steroids. Instead, they seek to restrict the “medical use” of anabolic steroids by the officers under its authority.
The new rules give the State the authority to intervene in the doctor-patient relationships of police officers and define the acceptable medical treatment should an officer’s physician prescribe anabolic steroids.
Any officer using injectable anabolic steroids must notify their commander within 72 hours.
They must supply a doctor’s prescription within a week.
The prescription can’t be any stronger than the FDA approved dose of 300 mg per two weeks.
The rules are allegedly needed because some physicians illegally prescribe steroids to police officers. If the steroids are illegally prescribed, why aren’t the physicians targeted? Why are the medical records of officers invaded instead? Why are local police departments given authority to dictate acceptable medical treatment for its officers?
Why does the State of Arizona feel an invasion of medical privacy is justified? Apparently, anabolic steroids become unacceptable the moment an officer starts lifting weights or bodybuilding or getting bigger!
“If somebody needs steroids where they have a disease or they can’t produce testosterone, they’re OK but if someone’s using it to bodybuild or get bigger, they’re not under the protection of the law,” Gutman said.
If the primary concern is hyper-muscular officers or bodybuilding, then perhaps a more effective policy would be to enforce maximum body mass index (BMI) as a condition of employment? Or ban officers from working out?! Of course, that is silly.
“Arizona will be the first state in the nation to protect its police officers from the ill effects of long-term steroids use and protect the public from somebody who has a steroids rage,” Gutman said.
It seems a little hypocritical for state officials to point to protecting the “health” of officers when they send officers out on the street to face violent offenders where they put their life at risk everyday. It seems to me that the best way to protect the short-term and long-term “health” of officers would be to provide them with every possible advantage over their opponents (i.e. dangerous criminals).
“Like many people who are involved in drugs, they have to pay for that addiction somehow. It appears he’s stolen from his family for years and years,” Lee said.
According to DA Bob Lee, James Edward Moore, Jr’s steroid addiction was so severe that he had to steal significant amounts of money from his father. The District Attorney has filed misdemeanor charges of grand theft and is preparing to file felony charges for theft and identity theft.
“Although often considered similar to abusers of narcotics and other illicit drugs (e.g., heroin or cocaine), non-medical anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) users follow carefully planned drug regimens in conjunction with a healthy diet, ancillary drugs and exercise,” said Jack Darkes, a study co-author.
“As opposed to the spontaneous and haphazard approach seen in abusers of psychotropic drugs, everything is strategically planned to maximize benefits and minimize harm.”
